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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fall · bat · pitcher · vault · prune · bowl · can · object

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. vault — a safe
  4. object — an aim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. object — to protest
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. fall — the season
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. fall — to drop
  15. can — a tin
  16. prune — to trim
  17. object — a thing
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. can — a tin
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. can — to be able to
  24. fall — to drop

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com